Head of Egyptian Railway Authority resigns Sunday

CAIRO – 13 August 2017: The head of the Egyptian Railway Authority resigned Sunday, according to Transportation Minister Hisham Arafat. Arafat’s announcement came during a press conference following a ministers’ council meeting on Sunday.

The head of the Egyptian Railway Authority resigned as a result of the Alexandria train accident on August 11, in which one train travelling from Cairo hit the back of another train travelling from Port Said, leaving at least 43 people killed and more than 100 injured.

The government formed a panel to investigate the accident, and the transportation minister pledged to hold accountable whoever was responsible. The minister already suspended two railway officials and two control tower operators on Friday.

The transportation minister extended his condolences to the families of the victims and wished the wounded a speedy recovery. He also announced that the coming period will witness many changes and shifts in the authority’s leadership. Arafat explained that the Alexandria accident was due to an operating system error, adding that the railway infrastructure has not been developed since 1970.

During the press conference, Arafat announced that the ministry has developed a tailored plan for the development of railway and train services in Egypt by 2022. He added that practical measures by the ministry include contracting the Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOA) to manufacture 45 railway power vehicles, capacity building trainings targeting railway personnel and developing 1,200 km of railways.

The Alexandria accident was described as the deadliest rail accident in more than a decade. In 2002, Egypt witnessed its deadliest train accident, when 373 people died after a fire ripped through a crowded train south of Cairo.